Caritas of Waco says the need for food help is greater than ever

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - The lead pantry for our annual Food For Families Food Drive is encouraging everyone to get out and give Friday saying the need is greater than ever before.

Caritas of Waco has helped families put food on tables in our area since 1967 but said since the pandemic more families are needing assistance.

“Before the pandemic, 26% of Waco families were living in poverty and unable to meet basic needs,” Caritas said. “Now, during this unprecedented time, more families than ever before are needing assistance.”

In 2024, Caritas served over 91,000 individuals.

So far in 2025, they’ve served an average of 9,674 people or 2,968 households or families per month.

Ann Owen is Caritas’ executive director.

“We’ve all seen an increased number in need of our community neighbors coming through who have struggled with putting food on their tables and this year more than any year that I can think of from the past, it’s so important for our community to step up and support each other,” Owen said.

Food For Families, which was founded in 1990, has grown to become the largest one-day food drive in Texas, encompassing 9-counties with 19 televised sites in Central Texas.

Caritas is the pantry that will help collect the majority of the local donations and then dole it out to multiple other local pantries that depend on them for assistance.

Owen said without your help at Food for Families many families would go hungry.

“We know there are businesses, organizations, individuals who come out that day and it is such an inspiring event to see so many people coming out to the KWTX studios and the other places where they can drop off donations,” Owen said.

Food for Families has raised over 42-million pounds of food to date.

Donations will be accepted from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday.

For a list of donation sites, you can go to Food for Families.

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